Ladder



nec, 9, 1924.

J. J. BYBERG 1,518,303

` LADDER Filed Aug..l,' 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTORN EY J. J. BYBERG LADDER Dec. 9, 1924. Y' 1,518,303

Filed Aug. l, 1923 2 Sheets-5h69@ 2 Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

JTCINASA BYBERG, 0F SIELVERTON, OREGON.

LADDER.

Application filed.: August 1, 1923.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, elo-Nits' J. Bonanno a citizen oft the" United States2 residing at Silverton, the county of Mario-n and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladders, of which the following.;M is a speciticatifon, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.,

rlthis invention relates tocertain improvements` in ladders and it is primarily anv object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character especially designed and adapted for user in orchards.

It is also an: object ot the invention to pro* vide a novel. and improved devicel ot this general character which may be' read-ily transported as desired and wherein. the' ladder proper. may be adjusted' to any desired angle and supported inv a' manner whereby the liability of tipping is substantially eliminated. l

Another object of tlreinvention is; tof provide a novel and. improvedV device of this general characterwherein the ladder proper has associated therewith means for raising and lowering the ladder and wherein. av portion of said. means serves tof prevent. a personl from a-lllinfzlv sideways. fromthe ladder and` particularly when leaning to pick fruit from a. tree.,

The invention consists in.. the details' of' construction. and inA the combination and` arrangement oat the several parts oli my. improved ladder whereby certain important adnantagtesy are attained?. and the' device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and-f advantageous for" use, asv will be hereina'fiter'nrore fully set forth. The novel features of. my inventionj will hereinafter be definitely claimed. u

In. order that myf invention may be the better understoodlY will now proceed todoscribe the same with referencet'o the accompanying dra-wings,whereiniz-f p l l Figurelf. isf a view-` inperspective of. ale ladder constructed in accordance with"r an einbodiinent olif my invention;L

Figure- 2. is an. enlarged. :fragmentary view partly ina section and.l partly in.elevatilon-v of the ladder proper showing-1 means tor. holding rung; on step in applied-1. position;r

Figure--V 3 isaf fragmentary sectionallvievv talren. substantially onthe line et Figure 2; y

Figure et is` side elevational view show- Sel'al No. 655,085'.

ing the ladderproper in a lowered position, a. second position of certain of the parts beshown by broken lines 5.

Figuren is a view in' side elevation showing the ladder in its lowered position and the associated structure lin folded or compacted relation; and Figure 6 is a fragmentary viewpartlyfin section and partly in' elevation illustrating the operative connection of an elongated member or standard with aJ reduced end: portionA of the cross pin connecting` thensill. A

its disclosed inv the accompanying, drawings, l' denotes an axle formed of pipi-ng or otherwise as may be desired and` which has loosely mounted upon its extremities the relatively small supporting wheelsl 9,A each ol?, sla-id. wheels preferably having a broad or wide tread. Freely engaged with the axle l adjacent to theA wheels 2 are the for-ward end portions of. the elongated sills or side members 3.V 4The side members 3l at substantially midway their length are connected by the cross member 4,. each end portion of which is reduced as at 5 and extending through a 'sillV or side member 3".. Freely engaged with each reduced portion 5' inwardly of a sill ,3 is the lower end portion. of. an elongatedA member or standard 6. The upper. extremities of the members or standards' 6 are connected by the block or strip 7. This. block. or strip 7' extends outwardly beyond the 4members or Astandards 6 tof provide the hand grasps 8, said hand grasps providing means-whereby the device may be readlily transported.. and. especially wherr in a raised orjworkingr condition as illustrated in Fipturef 1' of the accompanying. dra-wings'.

i. denotes a. ladder of desired length having the lower portions oft its* side members-9 engaged with: the axle! l'. Interposed between the side members 9r of the ladder- L arethesteps l0. Each ot the stops l() has its. end4 portions extending. withinA mortises il providedtpin (naposed. faces of. the membersv 91. Underlyirig;k thestep, 1U is a'. rod. l2 the extremities of which being. disposed through the side mem'hers 9.; anditerrrrimrtii'ig in. the ria tedi heads preferably indirect contact with the washers." l5 surrounding the rod 1% andin. direct Contact with the outer tacesof the Aside members. 9;. y

interposed. between.. the central portion of the rod'Il 1.2L andi. the step- 10 is a wedge. memberlg). said.v wedge member.- coacting' with tlie'- rodV l2 and the step' lll to hold the si'de members 9 from spreading and the step l0 from displacement. Any stretching of the rod 12 may be taken up by driving the wedge further in. As herein disclosed the wedge is prevented from slipping out by means of a small nail 17 or the like disposed through the wedge and penetrating the step 10 from below.

Associated with each of the side members 9 of the ladder L and the axle 1 is a brace member 18, said member 18 being engaged with the aXle 1 at a point in relatively close proximity' to the adjacent side member or sill 8.

Interposed between the upper or outer end portion of each of the members or standards 6 and the side members 9 of the ladder L is an articulated rod 19 the same being herein disclosed as comprising two sections. These rods 19 provide means coacting with t-he standards or members 6 for supporting the ladder L in working position and the desired angle of inclination of the ladder L may be readily effected by raising or lowering the standards or members 6. As herein disclosed the block or strip 7 has engaged therewith a pulley 2O over which passes a chain 21. One end portion of the chain 2l is engaged or secured to the axle 1 at a point in close proximity to a sill or side members 3, while the opposite end portion of said chain is adapted to be adjustably connected, through the instrumentality of its links, with the hook member 22 engaged with the opposite portion of the aXle 1. The upper portions of the members or standards 6 are braced or reinforced by the cross members 23 and the central portion of the cross member 4 hereinbefore referred to is connected with the forward portions of the side members or sills 3 by the brace members 24.

Extending .upwardly from the opposite end portions of the cross member 4 are the eye members 25 to each of which is adapted to be engaged, when the ladder L is in its lowered position, a hook member 26 carried by a side member 9 of the ladder L whereby the structure is effectively held in its conn pacted or folded position as illustrated in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings and in which condition the device may be readily transported from one location to another and also to occupy a `minimum of space when not in use.

With the ladder in working position as illustratedv in Figure 1 it will be noticed that the major portion of the weight of the structure is on the sills or side members 3 and not directly over the axle 1. In view of this fact the st-ructure will not roll after being` placed in position. The angle of the ladder L proper in relation to the ground or other supporting surface can be adjusted by slipping any desired link of the chain 21 over the hook 22.

Upward swinging movement of the ladder L proper in Figure 1 limited by contact of the braces 18 and 23 it being understood that as the ladder L moves upwardly the standards or members G will swing downwardly. lVhen the ladder L is at the limit of its upward movement it assumes a position slightly beyond the vertical and in which position a balance is obtained directly above the wheels, the tilt ot the ladder L beyond the axle 1 being sullieient to overcome the wieght of the sills or side members 3 and the parts concomitant thereto. In this position the structure can be readily moved and by having the ladder L nearly in a vertical position, the ladder will not catch in the outsprcading branches of the tree.

Figure 4 illustrates the der-rick action which takes place when the ladder L is raised or lowered. In raising the ladder L a foot may be placed against the axle 1 to prevent the device moving when a requisite pull is imposed upon the chain 21.

The sills or side members 3 are spaced apart a considerable distance whereby the liability of tipping is prevented and it is to be particularly noted that the construction comprised in the present invention is such that no third leg is required and which permits the structure to be readily positioned where desired so that all the fruit can be readily picked from a tree with ease and rapidity.

'lhe ladder L is supported in such a place and manner that there is very little strain on it and it therefore can be built to almost any desired length and any angle to conform with any desired shape of tree can be obtained. iVith the mechanical advantage gained by use of the pulley 2O and the upward pull being at the outer or upper end portion of the ladder L, long and heavy ladders can be easily raised and lowered.

Another desirable feature afforded by the device as herein disclosed resides in the fact that the rods 19 will be, in practice, positioned on opposite sides of the picker and thereby add to his safety by preventing him from accidentally falling to the side and allowing the picker to lean against either of the rods 19 when stretching for fruit thus putting a greater amount of fruit within i his reach. In other words a considerable area can be covered from each position ot the ladder and therefore the ladder does not need to be moved as often for each tree as is necessary with ordinary ladders.

When the device is not in use it is adapted to be compacted in the manner as particularly illustrated in Figure 5 and which relative arrangement of the various parts can be easily effected by releasing the chain 2l from the hook 22 and swinging the members or standards G rearwardly resulting in the ladder L dropping and the members or standards 6 assuming a lowered position and during which operation the opposite ends of the articulated rods 19 readily assume an overlying relation.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a ladder constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience land facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modiiication without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim l. A device of the class described comprising a portable axle, sills engaged therewith and extending in the same direction from the axle, a ladder mounted on the axle for swinging movement, standards pivotally engaged with the sills rearwardly of the ladder and of a length to extend forwardly of the ladder at opposite sides thereof when the ladder is raised, flexible means connecting the outer end portions of the standards and the outer portion of the ladder, means for connecting the standards for unitary rotation, said means including brace members connecting the standards, braces coacting with the axle and the opposite sides of the ladder, means for holding the standards against swinging movement under the influence of the weight of the ladder when the ladder is in raised position, the brace members connecting the standards and the braces associated with the ladder contacting to limit thc swinging movement of the ladder in the opposite direction.

2. A device of the class described comprising a portable axle, sills engaged there with and extending in the same direction from the axle, a ladder mounted on the axle for swinging movement, standards pivotally engaged with the sills rearwardly of the ladder and of a length to extend forwardly of the ladder at opposite sides thereof when the ladder is raised, flexible means connecting the outer end portions of the standards and the outer portion of the ladder, means for connecting the standards for unitary rotation, said means including brace members connecting the standards, braces coactingwith the axle wand the opposite sides of the ladder, means for holding the standards against swinging movement under the iniuence of the weight of the ladder when the ladder is in raised position, the brace members connecting the standards and the braces associated with the ladder contacting to limit the swinging movement of the ladder in the opposite direction, said brace members and braces contacting when the ladder is swung upwardly to a distance beyond the vertical.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JONAS J. BYBERG. 

